How to Analyse a Chess Game With Your Child (Even If You Don't Play)
Reviewing games is the fastest way to improve, and you do not need to be a player to help. Use this five-step method to analyse a chess game with your child, even if you only know how the pieces move.
Step 1: Record the game
In over-the-board games, children should write down moves (notation). Online games are saved automatically. Without a record, there is nothing to review.
Step 2: Replay it together, without judging
Ask your child to talk you through the game on a board. You will learn a lot from the questions you ask, such as "What were you thinking here?" Your curiosity is more useful than your opinion.
Step 3: Find the turning point
Look for the moment the game changed: a missed tactic, a blunder, a good plan that stopped. Mark it. If the child is not sure, move on and come back.
Step 4: Check with an engine, after thinking
Free analysis tools can show where the evaluation dropped. The rule is think first, check second. If the child looks at the engine straight away, they learn what the move is but not why. Use it to confirm their own findings.
Step 5: Write one lesson
End with a single sentence: "Next time I will check for forks before moving my queen." Keep these in a small notebook and review them before the next tournament.
| Step | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Record | Do we have all the moves? |
| Replay | What were you thinking? |
| Turning point | Where did the game change? |
| Engine | Did the engine agree with our idea? |
| Lesson | What will you do differently next time? |
Tips for non-playing parents
- Ask open questions rather than correcting.
- Review wins as well as losses.
- Keep sessions short, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Let the coach handle the deep technical feedback.
Combine it with progress tracking and support after a loss.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know chess to help my child review games?
No. Asking good questions and keeping the routine matters more than chess knowledge.
Should kids use a chess engine to review games?
Yes, but after they have tried to find the mistakes themselves, so they learn the reasons.
How often should we review games?
Review one or two games a week, for 10 to 15 minutes each, rather than long, rare sessions.
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